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Splott

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Template:Infobox Cardiff electoral ward

Splott (Template:Lang-cy) is a district in the south of the city of Cardiff, capital of Wales, just east of the city centre. It was built up in the late 19th century on the land of two farms of the same name: Upper Splott and Lower Splott Farms. Fanciful suggestions for the origin of the name include a truncation of "God's Plot", as the land belonged to the Bishop of Llandaff in medieval times and a derivation of "Plat" meaning a grassy area of land. In fact, the name is based on the English noun "splot" ("a plot of land") which is also found in placenames in the Vale of Glamorgan, Gower and Pembrokeshire. Splott is characterised by its once vast steelworks and rows of tightly knit terraced houses. The suburb of Splott falls into the Splott electoral ward.

The population of Splott in the United Kingdom Census 2001[1] was 12074, in 5101 households of which only 183 are detached homes. Of the 8221 adults in the area, 5000 have the lowest category of qualifications (Level 1 or below).

History

Splott is a traditional part of the City of Cardiff. Its name refers to the Welsh word for allotments which was the use of the area prior to its conversion to housing. Most of the housing stock is Victorian in origin built during the expansion of the City's iron and steel industry to house workers in these factories.

The early history of Splott is given in the Cardiff Records.[2] Splott was anciently held by the Bawdrips of Penmark. It consisted mainly of two farms, called the Upper and Lower Splott, situated between Roath Village and the sea.

  • 1440 - the Splott is mentioned as bounding certain lands of Isabel le Despenser, Countess of Worcester and Warwick.
  • 1596 - William Bawdrippe of Penmark built a fair house at the Splott and made it his chief residence.
  • 1626 - William Bawdrip of Splott was Member of Parliament for Cardiff. He sold Penmark and Splott to Sir Edward Lewis of the Van.
  • 1638 - Sir Edward Lewis of the Van died.
  • 1740 - the Llandaff Survey of this year mentions a chief rent of four shillings as payable in respect of Splott Farm in Roath.

No residential or industrial development took place in the area, however, until the end of the 19th century. In 1880 the whole area between Cardiff and the Bristol Channel (known as East Moors) was marshland, apart from the farms of Pengam and Splott. Residential development started in the 1880s, constructing streets, houses, shops, taverns and Board Schools; subsequently, Churches were built by various denominations.[3] Splott park opened in 1901.[4]

Inevitably there have been many changes in the years since Splott was first developed. Portmanmoor Road is now an industrial estate and its former Victorian era housing was demolished along with adjoining Enid Street, Layard Street, and Menelaus Street which no longer exist.

There is a strong community focus and this is centred around churches, schools, pubs and sporting teams. Roman Catholics remain well catered for through St. Albans and the associated school. This continues to produce rugby teams of all age groups which compete in city leagues. Splott University Settlement was one the most successful British baseball teams, winning the Welsh League title several times.

People

Wilson Street, Splott
  • Shirley Bassey originated from nearby Tiger Bay, but moved to Splott at the age of two and went to Moorland Primary School in Splott.[6]
  • Kirsten Offer (soprano) lives in Wilson Street, Splott[8]
Farmville Road, Splott

Splott is featured in the third episode ("Ghost Machine") of the BBC science fiction drama and Doctor Who spin-off Torchwood, which is set in Cardiff. It is also mentioned somewhat humorously in other episodes, due to its English pronunciation.

The Torchwood in-universe website features a section on Splott. Splott also features in the Torchwood novel Another Life.

Splott and the neighbouring district of Tremorfa are the settings for several works by Welsh playwright Peter Gill.

As the morning Radio Two traffic reports are read by the Splott-born Lynn Bowles, many listener contributions to the Terry Wogan and Ken Bruce shows feature (primarily fictitious) anecdotes humorously referring to the district.

Government

Splott is an electoral ward and parish of Cardiff, Wales. The electoral ward includes the areas of Pengam Green, Splott and Tremorfa. The ward is bounded by Adamsdown and Penylan to the northwest; Rumney and Trowbridge to the north east; the Severn estuary to the south east and Butetown to the south west.

Splott is contained in the Westminster parliamentary constituency of Cardiff South and Penarth. Its most prominent MP was former Labour Prime Minister James Callaghan. The current MP, since 1987, is Labour's Alun Michael.

In the Welsh Assembly, Splott is contained in the Assembly constituency of Cardiff South and Penarth, whose current AM, since 1999, is Labour's Lorraine Barrett; the constituency falls within the electoral region of South Wales Central, whose four current AMs are Conservatives Andrew R. T. Davies and David Melding, and Plaid Cymru's Chris Franks and Leanne Wood.

Cardiff districts

Splott is part of the STAR area of Cardiff (STAR stands for Splott, Tremorfa, Adamsdown and Roath, four inner city suburbs born out of the industrial revolution).[9]

Riverside City centre Adamsdown
Grangetown Butetown Splott
Llandaff Cardiff Bay Tremorfa

References

  1. ^ "Neighbourhood Statistics - Area: Splott Community (Parish)". National Statistics. 2001. Retrieved 2008-01-09.
  2. ^ Matthews, John Hobson. Cardiff Records, being Materials for a History of the County Borough from the Earliest Times (Vol 2). Retrieved 2006-06-03.
  3. ^ Fr. Graham Venn (2006). "History". St. Alban's Parish Cardiff. Retrieved 2006-06-04.
  4. ^ Tim Lambert (2001-6). "A Short History of Cardiff, Wales". Local and National Histories. Retrieved 2006-06-04. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |year= (help)CS1 maint: year (link)
  5. ^ BBC Wales south east (2005/6). "Hall of Fame - John Humphrys - journalist and broadcaster". BBC - South East Wales. Retrieved 2006-03-30. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |year= (help)CS1 maint: year (link)
  6. ^ BBC Wales south east (2005/6). "Hall of Fame - Shirley Bassey - superstar singer from Cardiff's Tiger Bay". BBC - South East Wales. Retrieved 2006-03-30. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |year= (help)CS1 maint: year (link)
  7. ^ Wales Rugby League (2004). "Clive Sullivan [1961-1984]". Wales Rugby League Welsh Hall of Fame. Retrieved 2006-04-15.
  8. ^ Kirsten Offer (2007-07-21). "Kirsten Offer - Soprano" (PDF). Vivace Singers. Retrieved 2008-11-16.
  9. ^ Jennie Savage. "STAR radio". Retrieved 2006-04-15.

Splott today

History of Splott


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